Survey: Bill Gates named responsible business leader

About 56 percent of respondents in a national survey could not name a business leader they thought embodied a sense of personal responsibility. But for those who could name someone, their top pick was Bill Gates.

Bill Gates

That’s according to the Responsbility Project Index, a summer study commissioned by Liberty Mutual to reveal people’s perceptions about how well they and their neighbors manage their lives.

The study of 2,400 people nationwide also found that Seattle ranked 7th of 15 media markets in how well residents feel about their neighbors’ sense of personal responsibility. Minneapolis and Atlanta topped the list; Los Angeles and Columbus, Ohio made up the bottom.

When asked to define “personal responsibility,” respondents ranked “taking care of yourself and your family” and “making sure your children behave appropriately” well above “knowing your neighbors” and “putting the community before your own self interests.”

In another interesting tid bit from the study, people in Seattle thought themselves to be more responsible — and their neighbors less responsible — than the national average.

Hmmm. Any thoughts on this?

P.S. — Fifteen percent of respondents chose Gates, as their top responsible business leader, but people were also asked to name responsible celebrities. Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey won that out, with 8 percent of respondents naming each as their choice.

P.P.S. — About 33 percent of respondents said they couldn’t name a celebrity that embodies responsibility.